Hi friends! There is a lot of excitement happening over here because this afternoon I am flying to Boston for the Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Half & Festival. It is going to be a full weekend of running, community, and hopefully a lot of fun. As I have mentioned, I am taking on the “Hat Trick,” which means a 5K and a 10K on Saturday, followed by a half marathon on Sunday. The Saturday races are essentially back to back, so this will be a big running challenge and a very different kind of race weekend for me.
I will be back next week with a full race recap, including how the weekend went, how the races felt, and whether my legs were still speaking to me by Sunday afternoon. Until then, you can follow along with the Boston running adventures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I am hoping to share plenty of behind-the-scenes moments, race weekend energy, and updates from the festival as everything unfolds.
My plan for the Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Half & Festival is simple but important. First, I need to keep my pace under control, especially during the earlier races. It is always tempting to go out fast in a 5K, but with a 10K immediately after and a half marathon the next day, that would not be the smartest strategy. I want to run strong without burning out my legs too early. Second, and just as important, I want to have fun. This weekend is not about chasing a specific finish time or putting pressure on myself. It is about celebrating running, enjoying the atmosphere, and taking on a memorable challenge.
There is something really freeing about going into a race weekend without focusing on pace charts, goal times, or personal records. Instead, I am looking forward to the experience itself: the energy of the runners, the festival vibe, the familiar pre-race nerves, and the satisfaction of completing a unique multi-race weekend. I was invited to attend the event courtesy of Runner’s World, and I will be there with a team of fellow running bloggers. It sounds like a wonderful group, with many familiar faces and a few new ones too, and I am excited to meet everyone, catch up, and share the miles together.
I am also especially excited because Runner’s World is taking our group to the original November Project tomorrow morning. Since the weekend already includes plenty of running, I will probably take it a little easy on the hills, but I still cannot wait to be part of the experience. The plan is to soak up the energy, enjoy the workout atmosphere, and save enough strength for the races ahead.
On the fitness front this week, I kept everything intentionally low key in preparation for this run-filled weekend. I did not want to overdo it before traveling to Boston, so the focus was on movement, recovery, and staying loose. On Monday evening, I met up with my friend Karen for a post-work walking date at 6 p.m. down on the mall. It was a gorgeous night, and it reminded me how much I love friend walking dates. They are such a great way to catch up while getting fresh air and gentle movement at the same time.
On Tuesday morning, I got in a nice 30-minute swim. Swimming has been such a great complement to running for me. It gives my legs a break from impact, helps stretch everything out, and feels especially good if I am a little sore. The water pressure is soothing, and I always leave the pool feeling more refreshed than when I arrived. My hair, however, may not be quite as enthusiastic about the chlorine. I might need to pick up some UltraSwim again. I used to use it all the time back in my swim team days, and I am glad to see it still exists.
Wednesday was a complete rest day, which felt like the right call before a big race weekend. This morning, I headed back to the pool for another swim, this time for 40 minutes. It felt good to move without pounding my legs. Please also take a moment to appreciate my very stylish broken goggles. If anyone has recommendations for swimming goggles that work well for people with really narrow nose bridges, I would love to hear them. Most of the other goggles I have tried are too wide at the nose and let water in, and I cannot remember where I found this old pair.
I have not done yoga lately because my knee was still bothering me from my bike crash two weeks ago. Tabletop pose was definitely not happening while the front of my knee was so bruised. I was starting to worry that it might be more than a bruise, but I am very happy to say it is feeling much better now and is almost back to normal. I am really hoping it behaves this weekend and does not cause any issues during the races.
Now I am off to finish packing, which basically means filling an entire suitcase with running clothes, race gear, and everything I might possibly need for a weekend of running in Boston. I also need to wrap up a bit more work before heading to the airport and flying north. Have a wonderful weekend, friends, and I hope to see some of you at the Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Half & Festival in Boston!
How was your week of workouts?